The fallout from a dog attack does not stop when you are fully healed. That is just one aspect of the recovery process. You may also need to deal with the insurance company of the dog owner and go to therapy for emotional distress.
Rural states tend to have high pet ownership, and no state is quite as rural as North Dakota. Folks walk their dogs on Main Street, take them hunting, or just let them sit on the front porch. Canines are everywhere. Just know that if you have done nothing to provoke the dog and it attacks you, the dog owner is probably the one responsible for the attack.
This means you can file a dog bite claim to help pay your medical bills, recoup lost income, and even receive restitution for lifelong injuries like disfigurement.
Reach out to our Williston personal injury lawyers. Your Advocate will provide you with legal representation, giving you the mental liberty to recover in peace. Contact us today for a free consultation!
Immediately after being bitten, assess your injuries
Contact The Advocates as soon as possible to begin the road to recovery
Seek medical attention as soon as you can
Keep track of all treatment you receive during recovery
Once you’ve completed treatment, your case can move forward
Your Advocate will send a demand letter to the other party
You will pay nothing out-of-pocket when you hire an Advocate.
Your initial consultation with us is always 100% free. There are never any upfront costs or hidden fees.
Our attorneys work on a contingency basis, which means that our attorney fees are calculated as a percentage of your settlement. We do not get paid unless we win your case, and you receive a settlement.
For more information on how settlements and payment work, please see our contingency fee information page.
If the dog’s conduct resulted in injuries or significant property damage, it is a good idea to contact a lawyer. An experienced personal injury attorney can help you navigate the claims process, which can be lengthy and complex.
Your attorney will gather evidence, keep track of your medical records, negotiate with insurance companies, and represent you in court if necessary.
The best way to know if you have a case is to speak with an attorney. The Advocates offer free consultations—you can speak with a qualified legal team to understand what your case is worth without paying a dime.
Every personal injury case is different. There is no one-size-fits-all solution to accident claims. The length of the claims process will depend on the severity of your injuries, the willingness of the other party to settle, the court’s caseload, and more.
In general, personal injury cases can take anywhere from several months to several years. It is important to contact an attorney as soon as possible to get your case started. Each state has a statute of limitations for personal injury cases, after which you will lose your right of action.
When you hire The Advocates, we will begin investigating your accident immediately while you finish medical treatment. Once all evidence and medical records have been compiled, your attorney will send a demand letter to the other party’s insurance company. At this point, negotiations will begin.
In many cases, a settlement can be reached during negotiations. If the other party refuses to make a fair offer, you may choose to file a suit. In the litigation phase, your attorney will represent you in court in front of a judge, jury, and/or arbitrator.
For nearly 30 years, The Advocates have helped thousands of personal injury victims receive the compensation and care they deserve after their injuries, and we are prepared to do the same for you.
We can help you:
I was in an accident 3 years ago and had a very bad experience with the attorney back then I was in another accident last year and called the advocates mark and his team were amazing changed my view on accident attorneys they kept I'm touch with me every step of the way gave me authority on choices for myself I didn't have to go with what they said I could go against it and they still would have worked with me the same I had choices this time around I would always go with Mark I have even sent friends his way just cause I appreciate all the help and support the whole way threw.
My experience with the advocates was a good one. After being hit by a car on my motorcycle they helped me with a settlement with the insurance company to get the hospital bills paid. They were extremely helpful. They always answered any questions I had with in a day. Every email I sent was always responded to. If you unfortunately has to go through a injury by another person I would recommend them in helping you resolve any debt you have because if that injury. The Advocates were great to work with and help me get this unfortunate event behind me.
Steve and his crew at The Advocates were nothing short for amazing. They took my case after I was rear-ended resulting in neck surgery. Steve and company made sure all of the was taken care of and that I got the maximum compensation possible. I definitely recommend The Advocates
Mr. Brad Johnson, our lawyer; was Awesome! He was very informative, kept us up to date on my case with regular calls. He returned calls back to us within 24 hours or less. Brad Johnson is very courteous, honest, kind, and a pleasure to talk to and work with. There are very few Lawyers out there that could even come close to the high morals that Brad Johnson has and has shown towards us. We need more lawyers like Brad Johnson . If we ever needed a disability lawyer again in the future; it would be Brad Johnson and The Advocates Firm that he works at. We will definitely turn ALL of our family and friends towards this lawyer and firm; in a heartbeat!!!
I want to First say that I am truly thankful for the advocates Law Firm they have been a great service to me through this ordeal and Katie she is a tremendous lawyer someone that I would recommend she fights tooth and nail for her clients and the rest of the team they supported me to the fullest with that being said I would like to say for anyone who is trying to find an attorney to fight their case The Advocates is the way to go.
North Dakota does not have dog bite laws governing dog owners’ responsibility for their dogs’ actions or laws assigning liability after a dog bite. Instead, courts often use the one-bite rule.
This rule states that a dog owner cannot be sued for the first time their dog bites someone because they did not know their dog was aggressive or dangerous. This rule is not written in stone, and if you are the victim of an animal attack, you can still file a claim.
To file a personal injury claim, a dog bite victim must prove the dog owner was negligent by not exercising reasonable care for their pet.
The case Sendelbach v. Grad established that negligence laws apply to dog bites. A plaintiff must show that their dog bite injuries result from the defendant’s negligence. Three points must be proven:
Even if you do not think you have severe injuries from a dog bite, you should still seek medical care. According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), 81 people died from dog attacks in 2021. Dog bite injuries can be more serious than they appear due to rare but still prevalent diseases such as rabies.
These are the common injuries dog bite victims face:
It would be hard to establish a case on your behalf if the animal attack occurred due to your poor choices. Follow these steps to stay physically—and legally—safe:
Most homeowners’ and renters’ insurance covers dog bites through personal liability coverage, meaning you are covered up to a limit when your negligence causes someone to be injured.
Keep in mind that not all policies cover animal attacks, and some don’t cover certain dog breeds, such as Rottweilers, Pitt Bulls, and German Shepherds. Dogs with a history of aggression or biting probably won’t be covered.
The damages you can seek depend on the nature of your dog bite injury claim. No two cases are ever the same in law, which means even an experienced Williston dog bite lawyer cannot predict the trajectory without first doing a case evaluation.
The following are commonly sought damages in a personal injury case:
A dog bite claim is no different from other personal injury cases. Therefore, a dog bite victim generally has six years from the incident to file a claim.
The specifics of your case will determine how long it takes to get a settlement. The sooner you begin your personal injury claim, the sooner you can put this chapter of your life behind you. North Dakota law gives you six years to seek compensation for a dog bite injury.
This means North Dakota has one of the longest statutes of limitations for personal injuries. However, you should not take this as an invitation to begin the process several years after the dog attack.
The Advocates law office has years of experience in multiple practice areas of personal injury law. We know the importance of filing a dog bite claim as soon as you physically can. Our attorneys will pursue the best outcome for you. We are here for everyone in Fargo, Williston, Bismark, and every other part of North Dakota.
You deserve it. You deserve an Advocate.
